Victrolacore - Satirical Music for the Sartorial Gentleman
A musical phenomenon of interest to the Kingpin gentleman is one that is emerging from genres being called 'chap hop ', 'modern burlesque', ' steampunk', even ' industrial hip-hop opera' all of which I put under the broader category of what I have termed Victrolacore. You heard it here first!
The key elements of this branch of the punk bush are the reuse of previous cultural expressions now considered quaint and old-fashioned. Samples taken from recordings of the 20s and 30s; use of antiquated instruments like the banjolele or the harmonium and lyrics peppered with out-of-date colloquialisms are commonly combined with a modern musical approach, like hip hop or industrial structures and then viewed through the gin-soaked lens of satire.
These grafted together with a Kurt Weill sensibility the evokes the music halls of Berlin and London in the period between the world wars. The pervasive decadent burlesque mood hangs from the music. Clever wit (including a stage persona that amplifies the musician's over-all intent) fuse these disparate elements together.
To get an idea of the artists covered by my Victrolacore label I would direct you to listening to Doctor Steel, Mr. B. the Gentleman Rhymer, and Professor Elemental. I would also include the work of Richard Cheese and Frisky and Mannish, as their work utilizes the same devices, only in reverse; they apply antiquated musical styling to current pop music, and produce the music by playing instruments themselves as opposed to using samples.
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